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The MGM Bond documentaries

GetafixGetafix
edited April 2019 in Bond Movies Posts: 11,425
I assume many have seen these before - I'm guessing they must have been included on Blu-ray or as add ons at some point.

However, as I only recently stumbled across them and found them really interesting I thought I'd share links here. They really are very good. I'm not sure how many were made, but they seem to go up to YOLT at least. Would be great if they made one like this for every film.

Dr No:


FRWL:


GF:



TB:



YOLT:

Comments

  • vzokvzok
    Posts: 4,044
    They are on all the DVDs up to LTK
  • TR007TR007
    Posts: 1,165
    I wish they had continued these docs for the Brosnan/ Craig era.
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    They're excellent.
  • AleanderAleander Kavala, Greece
    Posts: 33
    Why didn't make ones for Brosnans first three flicks? I remember being pretty peeved at that.
  • ShakenNotStirredShakenNotStirred
    Posts: 1,398
    Love these docs. They even 'remastered' them a bit on the blurays, in HD.
  • RemingtonRemington I'll do anything for a woman with a knife.
    edited April 2019 Posts: 1,534
    ShakenNotStirred wrote: »
    Love these docs. They even 'remastered' them a bit on the blurays, in HD.

    Half of them anyway. They all would've been remastered if all the blu-rays had been released in 2008.
  • bondsumbondsum
    Posts: 3,333
    Both the GF and TB documentaries originally appeared on the Deluxe Collector's Edition LaserDiscs back in 1995, before finding their way to DVD in 2000. I've still got my Deluxe Collector's Edition of Thunderball which go for about £30 on eBay nowadays.
  • DwayneDwayne New York City
    Posts: 2,848
    Believe it or not; there are times when I watch the documentaries on the DVD’s and skip the actual movie.

    I think that there was a major effort to create “retrospective” documentaries for all of the Bond titles for the “Ultimate Edition" Boxsets (2006 (?)). The great thing about them is that they can (and often do) function as more than just a promo for the respective film. Viewed in hindsight, actors, writers, etc, can often see what went right – and wrong – with their efforts.
  • DwayneDwayne New York City
    Posts: 2,848
    Dwayne wrote: »
    I think that there was a major effort to create “retrospective” documentaries for all of the Bond titles for the “Ultimate Edition" Boxsets (2006 (?)).

    I stand corrected. It appears that many (if not all) of the "Patrick Macnee"" documentaries date back to the late 1990's and the Special Edition DVDs. IMO, that is why they stopped after LTK - they were in the "Brosnan era" - so retrospective looks at his films could not be done yet.

  • BT3366BT3366
    Posts: 1,917
    Dwayne wrote: »
    Believe it or not; there are times when I watch the documentaries on the DVD’s and skip the actual movie.

    I think that there was a major effort to create “retrospective” documentaries for all of the Bond titles for the “Ultimate Edition" Boxsets (2006 (?)). The great thing about them is that they can (and often do) function as more than just a promo for the respective film. Viewed in hindsight, actors, writers, etc, can often see what went right – and wrong – with their efforts.
    These documentaries are why I disagree with those who say they just want to watch a film and won't watch some of these more than once. I've watched a lot of the features on the original films multiple times over the years and pine for those days when we had original things like these as opposed to the flimsy features they stick on modern Bond discs like the chintzy web series.

    This is another reason I'm not into digital films and such, because having these features complements the experience so much more than just having the film alone. You really gain appreciation into what went into the making of them and in some cases it's fun to look back and remember when these were released and the hype behind them.

    Somebody asked about why they didn't do these for Brosnan's first three and I think it's because they didn't have a lot of time between those films for retrospective the way they did with the earlier films and they had other material available.

    What would be nice is if they ever do more disc releases in the future doing documentaries for the Brosnan and Craig films in the same tradition. Sadly, who knows with the popularity of home media waning, who knows if we'll ever get such things in the future.
  • 007Blofeld007Blofeld In the freedom of the West.
    Posts: 3,126
    TR007 wrote: »
    I wish they had continued these docs for the Brosnan/ Craig era.

    same they are excellent documentaries
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,434
    I treasure the DVD's I have that contain these wonderful Documentaries. I love the ones for OHMSS and it gives you a glimpse into the casting of Lazenby. Then the same with DAF and LALD. Too bad that by the time we get to GE they cease to exist and the Craig Bond's are shockingly light on supplemental material. I hope they see the error of their ways and pump up the Special features on the Brosnan and Craig films.

    It's a shame that Connery wouldn't participate in a commentary like Moore did for his films. I would love to hear it from the horses mouth so to speak. But I fear that ship has sailed.
  • 007Blofeld007Blofeld In the freedom of the West.
    edited April 2019 Posts: 3,126
    thedove wrote: »
    I treasure the DVD's I have that contain these wonderful Documentaries. I love the ones for OHMSS and it gives you a glimpse into the casting of Lazenby. Then the same with DAF and LALD. Too bad that by the time we get to GE they cease to exist and the Craig Bond's are shockingly light on supplemental material. I hope they see the error of their ways and pump up the Special features on the Brosnan and Craig films.

    It's a shame that Connery wouldn't participate in a commentary like Moore did for his films. I would love to hear it from the horses mouth so to speak. But I fear that ship has sailed.

    @thedove It's a tragedy that we don't get the same quality in the Brosnan and Craig era.
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    I guess you need a bit of distance to do the films justice. The Brosnan films are going to get slaughtered if this ever happens
  • w2bondw2bond is indeed a very rare breed
    Posts: 2,252
    One of the 'curators' of Bond history will have to be in charge. John Cork and/or Matthew Field and Ajay Chowdhury. Also depends on how much the studio is willing to pay for the production of them.

    MF and AC already did an excellent job with "Some Kind of Hero", all they need to do is translate their words onto the page, get some interviews done, and see if there's anything valuable in the archives. Plus remove any negative sentiments from the docos. Their book is good because it explained some of the 'ugly' as well.

    And they'll need a new narrator. There's many cast members old and recent who are good ambassadors of Bond
  • GetafixGetafix
    edited May 2019 Posts: 11,425
    Not an MGM one but an extended BBC series (8 programmes) on the making of TSWLM. Quite poor quality copy (seems to have been filmed off a tv) but very interesting.

  • vzokvzok
    edited May 2019 Posts: 4,044
    Getafix wrote: »
    Not an MGM one but an extended BBC series (8 programmes) on the making of TSWLM. Quite poor quality copy (seems to have been filmed off a tv) but very interesting.


    I think that video starts at episode 3. It was made for the Open University.
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    Yes I vaguely remember it from back in the day. Must be one of the best documented productions. Great footage of a still quite young and dapper looking Ken Adam and his amazing/bonkers set.

    Nice episode on Marvin Hamlisch as well. He talks a lot about his score for the PTS but then you watch it and you realise it's not much more than a discofied Bond theme. I still really like the score though.
  • ResurrectionResurrection Kolkata, India
    Posts: 2,541
    Getafix wrote: »
    Yes I vaguely remember it from back in the day. Must be one of the best documented productions. Great footage of a still quite young and dapper looking Ken Adam and his amazing/bonkers set.

    Nice episode on Marvin Hamlisch as well. He talks a lot about his score for the PTS but then you watch it and you realise it's not much more than a discofied Bond theme. I still really like the score though.

    I really dislike bond theme of TSWLM but the rest were good.
  • ResurrectionResurrection Kolkata, India
    Posts: 2,541
    From Russia with love documentary is my favorite of them all
  • vzokvzok
    Posts: 4,044
    Getafix wrote: »
    Not an MGM one but an extended BBC series (8 programmes) on the making of TSWLM. Quite poor quality copy (seems to have been filmed off a tv) but very interesting.


    I take that back, here is the list of 8 episodes, all included.

    The making of The Spy Who Loved Me DE353 Mass Communications & Society BBC TV - Open University

    1: Producing 24:11
    2: Designing 22:23
    3; Also Starring... 20:06
    4: Organising 23:54
    5: Shooting Scene 341 23:19
    6: Shooting Scene 330 24:15
    7: Editing and Composing 23:42
    8: Selling 22:39
    Total run time 184:29
  • mattjoesmattjoes Julie T. and the M.G.'s
    Posts: 7,021
    DAD had a good very documentary, though it didn't delve deep enough into pre-production.
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